I Don’t Hang Out - Ho Lung

I don't hang out. I live in a monastery. The life of the brothers and myself requires prayer, community life, seclusion, deep union with the Lord, and our work with our poorest of people. We are happy living this way, and it is pleasing to the Lord, which is our prime objective.

Just to be quite clear. Except for one 20-minute encounter with Michael Abrahams, I have had no relationship with him, but I do find him congenial. He was friendly, stating he does not wish to be my enemy. As the Lord requires, I have no enemy, but wrong is wrong and right is right. I told Mr Abrahams, it is not right to punish a child in the womb for the sins of the parents. The baby in the womb might have been conceived in an act of promiscuity. It ought not be killed for the sins of the parents.

We must get it clear - abortion is murder. The child conceived in the womb has a soul, it is a person, it is human life. At that stage, the child is called a foetus, but it is still a person. "For thou didst form my inward parts, thou didst knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 137:13.

We had a friendly conversation. Mr Abrahams seemed surprised that we have Missionary of the Poor Sisters. Their ministry is to take in women who are pregnant and to advise them. While they live with the sisters, these Jamaican women can stay right through pregnancy up to birth. They can leave their child after the child's birth with the sisters, or if they change their minds, they can take the child with them - whatever time after birth. All this is done free of cost. Two of the Catholic sisters are registered nurses. Why do our sisters do this? Because they believe in the sanctity of life from the womb to the tomb.

Monastic life

In our brief visit, I invited Mr Abrahams to come to our ministries. That was the content of our conversation. He asked to take a photo together, I consented. But, I do not hang out.

Monastic life requires prayer and concentration. It is nevertheless an active life. Our ministries: The major aspect of it is to take care of the forgotten ones. Our homes for the homeless and destitute are almost extensions of our monasteries. Prayer, community life, working and living with one another in the name of Christ are the major aspects of the lives of our poor.

Though they are rejected and forgotten by society, in the eyes of the Lord, they are precious and beautiful. We care for all these free of cost, without government subsidy. However, we are encouraged by our governments in other areas. Jamaican people support our ministry generously. Our music and productions are of great help to our works. There are 650 destitute who live in our ministries. There are thousands of others who receive other kinds of help, including food, medical help, and clothing. We are happy with our people and find great happiness and peace with our work.

no enemies

I have invited Mr Abrahams to visit our monastery and our ministries. Life is precious, we have no enemies, not even the murderer who killed two of our brothers years ago. He was eventually shot by the police for some other wrong. We visit his wife and offer her assistance.

Wrong is wrong and right is right. Taking the life of a child in the womb or outside of the womb is murder, even if it is not regarded to be so by others. Our work as Missionaries of the Poor is to defend, protect and promote life at every level, young or old, sick or dying, in the womb or in the graveyard. That is our position, Mr Abrahams.

If a doctor, a mother or a father should ask the question: How do you want us to kill that baby, what would the Lord answer?

- Father Ho Lung is founder of Missionaries of the Poor.